


Penance

by mireailles



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 21:09:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12374127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mireailles/pseuds/mireailles
Summary: Spoilers. Future fic. Jean and Armin take a boy into their care.





	Penance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GoodGuyJean](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoodGuyJean/gifts).



> Happy Birthday GoodGuyJean! Because we both have a soft spot for family!Jearmin, but I wasn't too sure if you were into Mpreg so instead Armin and Jean take someone under their care

He opens his eyes at the sound of the curtains being snapped, what greets him is the sight of the boy reeling back as if frightened by the sudden noise.  
  
Like most times the sound of the boy fumbling in the dark has woken him up from his sleep, if not for the vacant spot on the opposite end of the bed. He blinks, stretches as the boy goes into the closet. There’s some rummaging and then he comes out with a white shirt that looks too small. Jean gives him a look and the boy stares down, his face a look of pure terror as he scrambles back to the closet.  
  
Jean wanders over. “What are you doing? You know Armin usually wears a sweater when it’s this cold.”  
_  
The first time it happens, Armin knows it’s the beginning of the end but Jean’s more naive. He doesn’t want to think about what it means, what it’s going to spell out if he thinks too hard on it. Armin’s fingers tremble when he tries to button up his shirt and the boy, noticing this, steadies his hand._  
  
  
He makes them run late because he can’t seem to find his jacket for meetings. He stumbles out of his room, nearly tripping over one of the servants. Jean picks him up and fixes his shirt. He pulls at the strings of his bolo tie, making sure it’s centred properly. The boy ducks his head, ashamed but Jean cups his chin and raises his head so that they’re facing each other. He squeezes his shoulders and the boy breathes heavily, like he wants to cry but doesn’t.  
_  
The boy, Jean has found out, likes playing chess because it’s similar to another boardgame they had in his old home. Something, Armin says, called checkers. The two play it often, sitting by the fireplace, staring hard at the board and the pieces, trying to outdo the other. Though, Jean knows that Armin sometimes lets the boy win. It’s only been a few days, after all, since Eren’s passing._  
  
  
His blue eyes stare up in wonder at the large building, looming over him like a large shadow. Jean nudges him and he’s propelled forward, into the Survey Corps building, now larger and grander than any of the other military branches. He gets lost in the sea of people as Jean pushes past everyone.  
  
Navigating the crowd is easy for Jean, he knows what to expect, who will give their sympathies and who will simply fake it out of courtesy but the boy seems to drown in the wave of emotions and people. He stops and talks to everyone, even those whom, Jean is sure never liked or cared for Armin. Yet, talk like they knew him, understood him and not feared him for the power and intellect he held before he had passed. He pulls the boy closer to him and tells everyone that they have places to be, meetings to go to. The crowd parts, leaving him and the boy alone in the empty hallway.  
_  
He completes his training about a year and a half of living with them and like Eren before him, he chooses to join the Scouts. Both Armin and Jean are in the crowd as his name is called up. He stands among nine of his other peers, making him in the top ten. Jean feels something like pride swell in his chest. Armin leans against him, hand squeezing his arm in reassurance._  
  
  
He fidgets at the meeting, though he can’t really see him, Jean can tell. He can tell by the way the table vibrates, the way the boy looks like he wants to be anywhere but here. The others at the very least, have the tact not to comment on it but they stare. They stare like they’re not sure if he should be here or even if he can be trusted. A few times, Jean catches them whispering and pointing at him, but one harsh glare and the gossip stops.  
  
When the meeting adjourns, he steps in line with Jean and almost relieved to be away from the people and the prying eyes.  
_  
As the days pass by, Armin spends less time at meetings and more time with the boy. He sees them sometimes when he’s doing paperwork in his office and the two of them are walking side by side in the garden. Something in his chest aches to be with them. Among the strange fauna Armin has collected over the years, both from Marley and others from places they’ve both forgotten the names of._  
  
  
Hitch is there in his office and she is taken aback when she sees the boy with him, apparently unaware of his position as Jean’s assistant. Though they talk like they’re old friends, her eyes always wanders back to him sitting in the corner of the room, quiet as can be. He seems to take the hint, gets up and closes the door behind him.  
  
Hitch turns her head before she leaves. “How’s he doing?”  
  
He breathes through his nose. “Fine, mostly, I think.”  
  
She nods.  
_  
On days when Armin is well enough, they have a picnic outside. He leans heavily on Jean for support, fingers squeezing his nose, now constantly bleeding. The boy lingers behind them as if to keep his distance, Armin looks back, beckons him closer. He does so, almost shyly but Armin pulls close._  
  
  
The night and paperwork wears him down and he can feel tears (of either frustration or grief) welling up. He gets up and stretches his back until he hears it pop. From his spot, he sees the boy curled up on the couch, like a dog, looking more relaxed than he has in days. The lamp on his desk casting shadows over his face. Jean swallows.  
_  
“Please look after him.”_  
_  
He’s sitting in bed, trying to read through a report but nothing’s sinking in. Armin’s looking up at the ceiling, these days he can barely manage to get out of bed. Jean puts down the paper, sighing heavily._  
_  
“He’s not even--”_  
_  
“Please.”_  
_  
He feels Armin grip his arm. “I promised Eren.”_  
  
_“He’s hardly a child anymore, Armin.”_  
  
_“Please, he--he doesn’t have anyone else.”_  
  
Jean watches as the boy shifts in his sleep, hand going up to comb through his blond hair. He looks up at Jean, blinking sleepily. They're both quiet, the only sound coming from the couch springs as the boy slowly pulls himself up into a sitting position. Jean crosses his arms, tilts his head.  
  
“Let’s go home, Falco.”  
  
The boy smiles, a genuine smile, one that Jean hasn’t seen since Armin’s death.


End file.
